The State of Minnesota will be looking more closely at Birch Grove Charter School’s student population and start correlating it to the “lease aid” payments the state makes to help the school pay its rent, Tofte Town Board Supervisor Alan “DC” Olsen reported at the continuation of the township’s annual meeting on July 14. Instead of sending the same amount of funding despite fluctuations in student population, the state plans to analyze student numbers twice a year.
Going off of the latest student numbers will result in a decrease of $14,000 this next school year, from $50,000 to about $36,000. This puts the school in a difficult position regarding paying its rent to the Birch Grove Foundation, which in turn pays rent to the Township of Tofte.
The town board discussed what the township could do to help the school out, and Supervisor Paul James pointed out that the $14,000 reduction is about what utilities cost annually. The citizens at the meeting voted to increase the township’s budget by $11,000 so that the school could get a break in what it pays to be located in the Birch Grove Community Center.
This is similar to many lease agreements in which utilities are included with rent.
Rescue Squad report
“The Fourth of July went off real good,” Rescue Squad Chief Louise Trachta reported at the regular town board meeting following the town meeting. Supervisor Alan “DC” Olsen said Tofte’s share of the lodging tax would pay some of the tourism-related expenses from the Fourth of July celebration.
So far this year, the Rescue Squad had received 25 calls, Trachta said, but seven of them had been within the last seven days. Numerous calls had been for rollovers and motorcycle/car collisions. She was pleased to report that there had been no drownings at Temperance River, and she hoped to get through the year without any.
“I’m proud of all our people,” she said. “Everything’s going well.”
Highway Department
Highway Maintenance Supervisor Russ Klegstad said the Highway Department continues to struggle to find enough gravel to keep the roads maintained properly. The state and federal government own all the good gravel pit areas in the county, he said.
“The citizens of Tofte are very concerned about our gravel resources,” said Supervisor James.
Cemetery road
The board discussed rights and liabilities related to maintenance of the cemetery road. The township has an easement across private property for the road, and a concern was raised regarding the possibility that a trench the property owner had dug to divert runoff would undermine the road.
Supervisor James asked Clerk Barb Gervais to write a letter to the township’s attorneys, Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith and Frederick, asking about the township’s rights and liabilities related to the road.
Logo contest
The township’s new website will feature photos of Tofte but no logo for now. Barb Gervais had advertised for submissions to a logo contest and received six requests for entry forms but no submissions.
Salvage yard
Olsen reported that the Cook County Planning Commission had recommended to the county board that Joe Sanders of Joe’s Salvage be granted a conditional use permit to move a house on his property and put it in a permanent place with a septic hookup.
One of the conditions, however, was that Sanders comply with zoning ordinances that require things like screening in order to improve the appearance of the business, which is in the middle of tourist attractions and upscale housing developments. Sanders is going through the court process for failure to comply with zoning ordinances.
The violations have been going on for five years, Supervisor James said. The county gets hard on “little old widows” over their septics, he said, and yet Sanders continues to ignore the county’s dictates. This affects neighboring property owners who have millions invested in their condos, he said. He’s been “thumbing his nose” at the county, James said.
“Unfortunately, we don’t torture people,” said County Commissioner Bruce Martinson, “but they’re going to court.”
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